BIKEPACKING BAJA CALIFORNIA – BAJA DIVIDE – BIKEPACKING GEAR

Here we go with some new fun useful tricks that will make your life easier on the bike in Baja! Protect yourself and your gear with these hypertested products and ideas.

(Full list of all BAJA-PROOF products tested so far here )

Terms of use: The tips and modifications suggested in this section of the site are to be considered as potential ideas only and should be followed at your own risk. Bikepackingbaja.com, its partners, associates, and contributors are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other such situation that might happen to individual riders who decide to implement these suggestions.

product:

MERIWOOL HODIE FIRST LAYER

Previously featured in the BAJA-PROOF series, the Meriwool brand — available on Amazon with its entire store at very accessible prices — deserves praise for what we consider one of the best 100% merino wool 3-season first-layer hoodies on the market ( check it out here ).

First off, details like the reflective stripes on the back and on the front zipper immediately reveal that this garment is highly suited for cycling. The second key feature is the thumb holes at the sleeve ends, which allow you to layer the shirt under other garments without the sleeves bunching up, while also preventing cold wind from entering through the hands.

The hoodie’s most important function is its zipper, which can open all the way down to the sternum for ventilation in warm weather or close up fully over the mouth, providing a snug fit around the neck, ears, and forehead in colder conditions. Needless to say, the fabric’s skin feel and thermoregulation properties are incredible, seamlessly combined with the merino wool’s remarkable odor-prevention qualities.

The hoodie is available in various colors and in 190g/m2 wool which seemed perfect in all temperature ranges. Beyond its technical features, I must admit that the cut and design also deliver an excellent look.

tip:

TAILFIN FORKPACK SHIELD

The Tailfin Fork Packs came as a solution to my small problem of always wanting to pack a bit too much stuff. When they first appeared as an option while I was researching the best “mini panniers” for the side mounts of my Tumbleweed T-Rack they immediately caught my attention for their sturdiness and locking system. I have to admit that, after using them on many trips, they did not disappoint.

However, even before setting off for the first test, I had already started thinking about how to protect my investment ($105 each!) in such an excellent piece of gear from the inevitable contact and abrasion with the unforgiving mixed terrain of Baja California. This would happen every time I had to set the bike down on the ground, against a rock, or even against a tree (rare and often covered in thorns), or in the case of any accidental side collision.

I solved the issue by creating a shield for each pack using the small reinforcement panel from old grocery panniers from my previous city bike, which I brought with me to Baja many years ago. The shields installed using the side compression straps through the middle slot have done an impeccable job of protection so far (as you can see in the photos) and give me peace of mind about these two incredibly useful mini panniers. I hope this solution will help them last much longer here in the desert. If I could give Tailfin a suggestion, it would be to design and give stock shields for their panniers.

product:

SINCETOP PHONE MOUNT

Staying in tune with quality options at a good price on Amazon, I present here a tough contender, a warrior, and an infallible battle companion when it comes to phone security and quick access. The SINCETOP phone mount is available in a handlebar brace version with various rubber adaptors to fit all handlebar sizes, as well as an incredibly sturdy head-tube version.

In the product box, you’ll find not only the mount but also an adhesive attachment for the phone or phone case, a safety strap, and branded stickers. Personally, I attached the mount to the phone case rather than directly to the device, reinforcing the double-sided tape with a couple of silicone dots, making the bond very strong and secure.

We recommend purchasing the new 2024 Q Series of the mount, as it comes with a four-point locking base instead of two, making it even more secure. The anti-rotation safety lock on the base is very easy to disengage, even while riding, and to detach the phone, you simply rotate it 45° clockwise and pull.

The company seems to be in continuous research to improve the product and so far, we’ve tested the SINCETOP under the harshest conditions and on the bumpiest roads, and it has never shown the slightest sign of loosening. We always recommend pairing this accessory with a safety leash that directly secures the phone to the handlebar, along with a dust and sun protection sock for the device that we reviewed in the n.2 episode of the BAJA-PROOF series.

tip:

REGULAR PHARMACY SYRINGE FOR SEALANT REFILL

Riding Baja means riding over many, many thorns. Therefore, assuming your are smart enough to ride on tubeless tires, it is crucial to have a good amount of sealant in each tire and to carry some extra if you’re planning to be away for a while. I personally carry extra e-liquid even if I’m going out for the day because some thorns coils here can really cause significant leaks.

Obviously, there’s the issue of how to transfer the liquid from the container to the tire efficiently, avoiding messes and wasting as little as possible. 

Without access to the latest equipment here, an effective solution is to get a standard 10ml ( 0.3 oz ) syringe from any pharmacy and cut the metal needle as close to the plastic as possible. This way, the remaining plastic piece will act as a screw-on cap, and the protruding orifice beneath the cap will magically fit almost perfectly and nearly airtight inside a Presta valve (with the core removed). You simply need to draw the sealant from the reserve container with the syringe, place the syringe on the valve with slight pressure, and inject the liquid. This results in a very clean and practical operation. It’s very important to ensure that the reserve liquid container/bottle has an opening large enough for the syringe to fit through. All regular plastic bottles from stores, especially mini soda bottles, work perfectly.